Pile fabric circular knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A multi-feed circular knitting machine for producing high pile fabric has spaced around its needle cylinder card stations at each of which is a card unit having at least one cylindrical driven card wheel covered with brush-like tines. Means are included in each unit for feeding loose fibres onto these tines, the unit being so positioned that needles in the cylinder, when advanced, collect loose fibres from the card wheel. The machine has a superstructure comprising columns which carry a hollow annular support component housing top drive means for driving the card units. The latter may either be suspended from this annular support or mounted on brackets affixed to the columns.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,918,274 York et al. 5] Nov. 11, 1975 [54] PILE FABRIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed: Sept. 25, 1974 Appl. No.: 509,148

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 2, 1973 United Kingdom 51057/73 Apr. ll, 1974 United Kingdom 16367/74 US. Cl 66/9 B; 66/91 B Int. Cl. D04B 9/14 Field of Search 66/9 B, 132 R, 132 T References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1962 Howes 66/9 B 6/1965 Radtke 66/9 B 2/1967 Oliver, Jr. 66/l32 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France 66/132 T United Kingdom 66/132 R [5 7 ABSTRACT A multi-feed circular knitting machine for producing high pile fabric has spaced around its needle cylinder card stations at each of which is a card unit having at least one cylindrical driven card wheel covered with brush-like tines. Means are included in each unit for feeding loose fibres onto these tines, the unit being so positioned that needles in the cylinder, when advanced, collect loose fibres from the card wheel. The machine has a superstructure comprising columns which carry a hollow annular support component housing top drive means for driving the card units. The latter may either be suspended from this annular support or mounted on brackets affixed to the columns.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures FILE FABRIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES The invention is concerned with knitting machines for producing so-called high pile fabric, i.e., fabric comprising a knitted ground structure having loose fibres incorporated in the knitted loops so as to form tufts at one side of the fabric. The pile formed by the fibres is often treated to produce a fleecy or fur-like effeet.

High pile fabric is produced on a multi-feed circular knitting machine fitted with a plurality of card or brushing units for supplying loose fibres to the needles at card stations spaced around the needle cylinder of the machine. Each card unit has at least one driven card wheel which is of cylindrical form and has its periphery covered with brush-like tines onto which the fibres are fed by feed rollers. Moreover, each such unit is positioned so that the card wheel, or oneof the card wheels, as the case may be, rotates adjacent the needles at the relevant card station, these needles being advanced at the said station to collect fibres from the card wheel or wheels.

Conventionally, not only are the card units mounted on a base plate of the machine, but the drive means to these units which latter are driven from the main ring gear used to drive the needle cylinder, extend up through the said plate. The latter constitutes the machine base and serves to support for rotation the needle cylinder and carries the surrounding cam box. A problem with such an arrangement is that the drive means to the card units and these units themselves severely restrict access both to the needles of the machine and also to the cam box which encircles the cylinder and contains the cams for controlling movement of the needles; thus, there may be on one and the same machine as many as eight or more bulky card units and associated drive means therefor. The result is that the card units have to be unbolted from the machine base and removed in the event that access to the needles or cam box is required. As the card units are heavy and awkward to handle, this is a time consuming and costly operation.

With the object of overcoming this problem the present invention provides, as an essential feature of an improved circular knitting machine for producing high pile fabric, a superstructure which is positioned above the needle cylinder and supports top drive means for driving a plurality of card or brushing units mounted on the machine and so positioned that the card wheels, or the relevant card wheels, of the respective unitsare adjacent the needles at card stations spaced around the cylinder.

The very fact that the top drive means are well above the needle cylinder will at least to some extent relieve the congestionon the annular base plate and so make the needles and the cam box more accessible.

But if, as is preferred, the card units are suspended from the superstructure then, naturally, the base plate will be wholly unobstructed.

However, unrestricted access or virtually unrestricted access to the needles of the machine and to the cam box may alternatively be achieved by mounting the card units upon brackets or bracket means affixed to the columns of the superstructure.

Access to the needles and the cam box could, in any event, be substantially improved even by supporting the card units upon posts fitted in the base plate in such a way as to provide space beneath and around the units.

In all cases, the drives may conventionally be taken to the respective card units from the main drive of the machine, e.g., by means of a vertical shaft extending upwardly through one of a plurality of columns of the superstructure, and this shaft may have a driven pinion at its lower end arranged in mesh with the aforementioned main ring gear and, at its upper end, a driving pinion arranged in mesh with a second, i.e., top ring gear supported in the superstructure. In this particular top drive arrangement the card units are driven from the top ring gear through the medium of individual pinions meshing therewith and associated gearing of any appropriate form. The support columns can be of minimum dimensions so as to avoid encumbering the machine base.

Preferably the superstructure comprises the support columns previously referred to and an annular support component which is supported by these columns at a height positioned well above the base of the machine and is adapted, by virtue of being hollow, to accommodate the top drive means.

The card units themselves can be of any convenient construction.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, specific examples thereof applied to a multi-feed circular knitting machine for producing high pile fabric will now be described with reference to the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a part of such a machine showing an arrrangement wherein the superstructure both supports top drive means for the card units and has the latter suspended therefrom, and

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of another similar machine wherein the card units are mounted upon brackets affixed to the supporting columns'of the superstructure.

The machine shown in FIG. 1 comprises a base 1 supporting a stationary cam box 3 which surrounds a rotary needle cylinder 2. The cam box 3 is surmounted by a sinker ring 4. A needle advanced from the cylinder 2 by a cam, such as 3a, in the cam box is indicated at N.

The needle cylinder 2 is driven in conventional fashion by a main ring gear 5 driven from an input shaft 6 by a pinion 7 In this example, the machine is provided with a superstructure 8 comprising a plurality (e.g., three) of columns 9 which carry an annular top plate casting 10 of box section. Only one of the columns 9 is visible in FIG. 1. Suspended from the top plate casting 10 at spaced positions therearound is a plurality of card units 11, only one of which is illustrated.

Each card unit comprises a brushing unit casting 12 bolted to the top plate casting 10, the frame carrying a doffer cylinder 13 backed up by a so-called main card cylinder 14 and a plurality of feed rollers (not visible). Numeral 15 denotes a sliver of fibres entering the unit 11 to be supplied to the doffer cylinder 13. The units 11 are each of basically conventional construction, although the components have been re-arranged somewhat in view of the suspension of the unit from the superstructure 8.

In addition, each of the card units is, in accordance with the principal feature of the invention, driven by an input drive pinion 16 which is accomodated in the box section of the top plate casting 10. Inside this section, each pinion l6 meshes with an externally toothed annular gear 17 carried by a top ring gear 18 ofa substantially larger diameter.

Ring gear 18 is mounted for rotation inside the hollow top plate casting l and is driven by a driving pinion 19 mounted on the upper end of a drive shaft 20 which passes through one of the support columns 9 of the superstructure 8. At its lower end shaft 20 carries a driven pinion 21 which meshes with the main ring gear 5 driving the needle cylinder 2. It will be appreciated from this that the card units are each driven at a speed related to the speed of the cylinder.

The arrangement just described allows completely unobstructed access to the cam box and needles of the machine.

The circular knitting machine, a fragmentary portion only of which is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, comprises an annular base plate 22 designed to support a stationary cam box 24 which surrounds a rotary needle cylinder 23 equipped with a circular set of latch needles N. The cam box 24 is surmounted by a sinker ring 25 and furnished with cams, such as 24a, for advancing the needles N.

The needle cylinder 23 is driven in the conventional manner from an input shaft (not shown) through the medium of a spur pinion on that shaft which is arranged in mesh with the so-called head wheel, viz, a main ring gear 26 rigidly secured beneath the said cylinder.

The machine is provided with a superstructure which is generally designated by the reference numeral 27 and comprises a plurality of columns 28 and, supported upon the latter, an annular top plate casting 29 of hollow box section. Only one of the columns 28 is shown in FIG. 2.

Again, in accordance with the principal feature of the invention, the hollow top plate casting 29 accommodates top drive means for the card or brushing units, only one of which units is shown in the figure and is generally designated 30.

As will be seen, the drive is taken to the card units 30 by means of a vertical shaft 31 which extends vertically upwards through one of the columns 28, this shaft having at its lower end a pinion 32 arranged in mesh with and driven by the main ring gear 26. On the upper end of the vertical top drive shaft 31 is a driving pinion 33 arranged in mesh with a top ring gear 34 which is housed within the hollow top plate casting 29. Each of the card or brushing units 30 is driven from the top ring gear 34 through the medium of a pinion such as 35 meshing therewith. Each pinion 35 is rigidly secured upon the upper end of a relatively short depending drive shaft 36.

One of the knitting needles in the cylinder 23 is indicated at N.

Each complete card unit 30 consists of (i) a brushing unit casting 37 the upper end of which is formed to provide a top gear box 38 and (ii) a feed roller casting 39, complete with gear box 39a, which is slidable on to and withdrawable from the rear or inner end of the casting In the example now being described each card unit 30 is mounted on a shelf-like bracket B affixed to one of the columns such as 28. As will be seen, the bracket B is well above and clear of the base plate 22 and the unit is, therefore, not in this case in any way suspended from the top plate casting 29.

The lower end of the casting 37 constitutes a framework having bearings in which are rotatably mounted the shafts or trunnions of two co-operable components, viz, a doffer cylinder 41 and a main card wheel 40. The cylindrical periphery of each of these components is covered with brush-like tines. The doffer cylinder 41 rotates adjacent to the needles N, whereas the main card wheel 40, sometimes known as a main card cylinder backs up the cylinder 41. The components and 41, in the illustrated example, are both driven from the depending drive shaft 36 through the medium of bevel gearing (not shown) and associated intermeshing spur gears 42, 43 and 44 and belt and pulley or equivalent drives such as 45 and 46. In the feed roller casting 39 are mounted three pairs of intermeshed fluted feed rollers, the upper ones of which pairs are driven at respectively different and progressively higher speeds through the medium of belt and pulley or equivalent drives 47, 48 and 49. In turn, the last mentioned drives are driven from the already described top drive means through gearing of any appropriate character accommodated in the gear box 39a.

Numeral 50 denotes a sliver of fibres entering the card unit 30. This sliver, as a consequence of being fed through the pairs of feed rollers (driven at progres sively higher speeds) is first drafted; thereafter it is fed on to first the card wheel 40 and then the card wheel 41 from which it is collected by advanced needles N.

A spur gear 51 mounted in the top gear box 38 meshes with a spur gear 52 in the gear box 39a suchwise as to provide a drive from one gear box to the other. If desired, the two gears 51 and 52 may be change speed gears which are interchangeable with gears of different diameter to effect speed changes, the object being to increase or decrease the rate of feed of the sliver of fibres 50 and so vary the weight of the high pile fabric produced.

In cases where the card units, driven from top drive means are either suspended from the superstructure, or are mounted upon brackets affixed to columns of said superstructure, an additional advantage of the invention is that more card units can be provided than is possible in a machine having conventional bottom drive means for driving the units.

We claim:

1. A multi-feed circular knitting machine for producing high pile fabric comprising a rotary needle cylinder; needles in said cylinder; a stationary cam box which surrounds the cylinder and is fitted with cams for advancing the needles; an annular base plate which supports the cam box; a main gear ring for supporting and driving the needle cylinder; an input shaft having a pinion arranged in mesh with said main gear ring; a plurality of card units provided at card stations around the needle cylinder, each such unit having a driven doffer cylinder the periphery of which is covered with brushlike tines; and means by which loose fibres are fed onto said tines, each card unit being so positioned that the doffer cylinder rotates adjacent to needles advanced at the relevant card stations suchwise as to enable these needles to collect fibres for incorporation in the form of tufts into loops of a knitted ground structure, the improvement in the machine residing in the provision therein, in combination, of a superstructure comprising a plurality of support columns extending vertically upwards from the aforementioned annular base plate and an annular top plate casting of hollow box section located well above and clear of the needle cylinder, the card units being mounted upon and supported by the superstructure at a height above and clear of the annular base plate, the cam box and the needle cylinder; at top gear ring rotatably mounted within said top plate casting; a vertical driven shaft extending upwardly through one of the vertical support columns; a first pinion which is secured to the lower end of said drive shaft and is arranged in mesh with the main gear ring; a second pinion which is secured to the upper end of the same drive shaft and is arranged in mesh with the top gear ring; for each card unit a driving pinion which is housed within the annular top plate casting of hollow section, and is arranged to be driven from the top gear ring; a depending drive shaft which has secured to its fixed to the columns of the superstructure.

=l l l 

1. A multi-feed circular knitting machine for producing high pile fabric comprising a rotary needle cylinder; needles in said cylinder; a stationary cam box which surrounds the cylinder and is fitted with cams for advancing the needles; an annular base plate which supports the cam box; a main gear ring for supporting and driving the needle cylinder; an input shaft having a pinion arranged in mesh with said main gear ring; a plurality of card units provided at card stations around the needle cylinder, each such unit having a driven doffer cylinder the periphery of which is covered with brush-like tines; and means by which loose fibres are fed onto said tines, each card unit being so positioned that the doffer cylinder rotates adjacent to needles advanced at the relevant card stations suchwise as to enable these needles to collect fibres for incorporation in the form of tufts into loops of a knitted ground structure, the improvement in the machine residing in the provision therein, in combination, of a superstructure comprising a plurality of support columns extending vertically upwards from the aforementioned annular base plate and an annular top plate casting of hollow box section located well above and clear of the needle cylinder, the card units being mounted upon and supported by the superstructure at a height above and clear of the annular base plate, the cam box and the needle cylinder; a top gear ring rotatably mounted within said top plate casting; a vertical driven shaft extending upwardly through one of the vertical support columns; a first pinion which is secured to the lower end of said drive shaft and is arranged in mesh with the main gear ring; a second pinion which is secured to the upper end of the same drive shaft and is arranged in mesh with the top gear ring; for each card unit a driving pinion which is housed within the annular top plate casting of hollow section, and is arranged to be driven from the top gear ring; a depending drive shaft which has secured to its upper end said card unit driving pinion and projects through the bottom of said annular top plate casting; and for each card unit a brushing unit casting formed to provide a gear box into which the said depending drive shaft extends, said brushing unit casting being located beneath the hollow annular top plate casting.
 2. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the brushing unit castings are bolted to the hollow top plate casting.
 3. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the card units are mounted upon brackets affixed to the columns of the superstructure. 